Incumbent state Superintendent Tony Evers has defeated challenger Lowell Holtz to win a third term as Wisconsin's top education official.

Evers easily beat Holtz on Tuesday in the only statewide race on the spring ballot. He will continue in his job running the Department of Public Instruction, which administers education policy to all 424 public schools in Wisconsin.

Evers had support from teachers' unions and Democrats in the officially nonpartisan race. He supports Common Core academic standards, opposes private school vouchers and backs Gov. Scott Walker's budget proposal to increase K-12 funding by $650 million.

Evers also defended his record trying to close the achievement gap, which stood as the worst in the nation.